How to Look Good with Pale Skin

Co-authored by Laura Martin

Last Updated: July 6, 2022 References

Katy Perry. Emma Stone. Madonna. Nicole Kidman. Taylor Swift. These are just a few of the gorgeous celebrities who have fairer skin than most. In order to look good with pale skin, the first thing you have to do is shed the notion that having pale skin is somehow a defect. Pale skin makes you look classic, striking, and unique. If you want to know how to look good with pale skin, all you have to do is wear the right makeup and clothes to make the most of your already-beautiful look.

Part 1

Part 1 of 2:

Wearing the Right Makeup

1
Wear neutral eyeshadow. Whether you have brown, blue, green or gray eyes, it is essential that you choose the right colors for your eye-shadow. Being pale is like being a blank canvas: colors will show up with more intensity on you because you have a lighter tone. Someone with very dark skin may be able to easily pull off dark and/or vibrant makeup while muted neutral tones may be more flattering on a person with lighter skin. Soft neutrals, such as taupe, cream, sand, pale pink, and beige may be your best bet.
- Remember, less makeup is more for a light-skinned woman. Makeup tends to show up easier on someone with lighter skin, so just a little bit of light eye-shadow can look stunning.
- If you want to wear brighter shades, such as neons and metallics, use them in small amounts as accents in order to look your best.
2
Choose the right eyeliner. Brown and gray eyeliner looks stunning on the perpetually pale. Brown especially is a color that brings out the eyes but doesn't look as harsh as black, which can create too stark of a contrast between your pale skin and your makeup. This contrast may look especially harsh if your hair is a light color.^{[1]
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- Black eyeliner can be beautiful on a pale person, but in moderation. This is especially true if you have dark hair. Instead of circling your eye with the liner, try instead only lining the top or the outer corners. As a general rule of thumb for any skin tone, circling your entire eye in black liner can make your eyes look smaller. You can go for the Taylor Swift-esque cat eyes to make your eyes even bigger.
- You can even use a makeup brush to smudge your eyeliner a bit, so it blends in with your skin a bit and creates less of a contrast.
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3
Make your eyes pop with black mascara. There are a lot of factors that go into picking a mascara color, including skin color, hair color, and eye color. When in doubt, go for black mascara, as it’s attractive on nearly everyone. Also, black mascara will likely help your eyes stand out against your pale skin. You can also get thickening mascara to make the most of your lashes and to really make your eyes pop.^{[2]
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- Consider trying a brown mascara if you have light-colored hair and are going for a more natural look.
- If you’d prefer to wear a vibrantly-colored mascara, go for a purple mascara if your eyes are blue, green, or hazel, and go for a blue or green mascara if your eyes are brown.
4
Make sure your foundation matches your skin. For any skin tone, a foundation that does not match your skin tone is never flattering. This is especially true with paler skin. Any color that is slightly askew from your natural tone will look off, if not like an orange disaster. Don't be ashamed to choose "porcelain" or "angel" shades. They look better than a darker shade and enhance your natural glow.
- Opt for liquid foundations over powder foundations, as powder applied to a pale face can easily look cakey. If you prefer powder, simply use it sparingly.^{[3]
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- Don’t try to fake it. Trying to look darker by choosing a darker foundation makes you look a bit silly.
5
Go easy on the bronzer and blush. Bronzer must be used sparingly if you want to use it at all. A little bit of very light bronzer along your jaw, on your cheekbones, and on the corners of your forehead can add an attractive warmth and thinness to your face. Too much and you risk looking like you have some dirt on your face. Apply a light pink blush to your cheekbones in a circular motion to enhance this warmth.
- Whether you use bronzer, blush, or both, just make sure that you blend it in smoothly.
6
Consider using concealer. Cover up is a life saver when those bags under your eyes and pimples (which look a bit more pronounced on white skin) will not go away! Cover up can also cover any sun damage or pimples. Don't worry about covering your freckles, though. They look cute! Embrace them!
- That said, if you really don’t have any blemishes or pimples to hide, then you can skip out on concealer.
7
Stick to pink, peach, and bold red lip colors. Nude lipsticks can be tricky for those with pale skin. Don’t get a lipstick that’s too close to your skin tone, or else you may look washed out. Also avoid colorful nudes, as this won’t look nude. Opt for pink and peach nude lip colors instead.^{[4]
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Research source} Red lipstick can also look great against pale skin — think of how stunning the paler-skinned Taylor Swift looks with bright red lipstick.^{[5]
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- As a unique alternative, you can also try a rich berry-colored lipstick or gloss, as this also looks attractive against pale skin.^{[6]
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- Lipsticks and lipglosses that have orange or brown colors in them aren’t typically as flattering on those who have pale skin.
- You can also use some lip liner to accentuate your lips as well.

Part 2

Part 2 of 2:

Getting the Hair and Clothes Down

1
Keep your hair color natural. Pale skin, depending on undertones, can work with a variety of hair shades. If you aren’t sure which shade will complement your skin best, stay close to your natural hue. This will likely be the most flattering option.
- Very dark, or even black hair against pale skin can make for a very flattering and classic look.
2
Wear colors that go with your undertones. A number of factors, including skin color, hair color, and eye color, determine what clothing colors look best on you. However, arguably the most important factor is your natural undertones. If you have cool undertones, try wearing lavender or gray. If your undertones are warmer, stick with creams, corals, and olives. If you have neutral undertones, opt for colors like red and white.^{[7]
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- If you’re a redhead, stay away from colors similar to your hair on the color wheel (i.e. red, pink, orange). Instead, look for colors opposite of your hair, such as green, blue and purple.
- Pastels typically look gorgeous against light skin.
- Beware of certain shades of yellow, as they can make you look sick.
3
Wear pantyhose to enhance your legs. Pantyhose can help even out the tone of your legs while maintaining your gorgeous look. You can still pick a light-colored tone of pantyhose so that they look natural.
- In hot weather and/or in more casual settings when you may not want to wear pantyhose, show off your bare legs by using a rich, shimmery moisturizer on them.
4
Take care of your body hair. Make sure you take care of any body hair, especially if you have naturally dark body hair. Hair shows up very easily against light skin, so it's best to take care of hair regularly, especially if you have a bit of a unibrow or a mustache. You can consider waxing this hair, or you can just work on plucking your eyebrows or any stray hairs on your face or body.
- If you have naturally blonde body hair, then you don’t need to worry as much. Blonde hair blends well with pale skin and doesn't need to be taken care of nearly as often.
5
Embrace your beauty! Everyone thinks tan is terrific, but pale is just as beautiful. Realizing that being different from the norm is the first step to embracing your unique beauty and gaining a healthy self-confidence! Being pale makes you look classic, timeless, and gorgeous. Instead of trying to look tan or to be something you’re not, just work on making the most of the beauty that you have to share with the world.
- Be proud of your look and make the most of it. Don’t let people get you down about your pale skin and learn to love your unique and gorgeous look.

Expert Q&A
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Question

Do I have fair or light skin?

Laura Martin
Licensed Cosmetologist
Laura Martin is a Licensed Cosmetologist in Georgia. She has been a hair stylist since 2007 and a cosmetology teacher since 2013.

Laura Martin

Licensed Cosmetologist

Expert Answer

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Fair and light are often used interchangeably, although sometimes fair is used specifically to refer to cool, pale skin. If you look best in light cool colors such as baby blue and lavender you probably have this skin tone.
Question

What colors make pale skin look tan?

Laura Martin
Licensed Cosmetologist
Laura Martin is a Licensed Cosmetologist in Georgia. She has been a hair stylist since 2007 and a cosmetology teacher since 2013.

Laura Martin

Licensed Cosmetologist

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White tends to make fair skin look more pigmented by providing contrast. Pale silver and cool pastels like lavender work similarly.
Question

What is the best color to wear if you have pale skin?

Laura Martin
Licensed Cosmetologist
Laura Martin is a Licensed Cosmetologist in Georgia. She has been a hair stylist since 2007 and a cosmetology teacher since 2013.

Laura Martin

Licensed Cosmetologist

Expert Answer

Support wikiHow by unlocking this expert answer.

Pastel tones and soft neutrals like white, gray and beige are good for pale skin.

Warnings

Cover up bags under your eyes. Purple bags looks really obvious on light skin!

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Don't line your entire eye with eyeliner! That will only make your eyes look smaller.

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Don't choose a pantyhose that looks too dark. If you meant to choose a nude color and end up wearing a few shades too dark it may look very funny.

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Don't apply bronzer too much! It looks silly and unhygienic

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Spray tans will probably look unnatural against your skin. Tanning in the sun can lead to health problems and the physical effects will show once you get older.

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Just because you may have blonde body hair and it blends with your skin doesn't mean you should never take care of it!

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As a redhead, shy away from reds, oranges and pinks

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As a dark haired person, stay away from black clothing

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Don't dye your hair black

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